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I wonder when we will see a picture of the bear sitting here with a Caledonian beer?

My friend C.Taylor(!), who is also from Edinburgh, but now living since many years here in Stuttgart, would be not amused, if you would hide this local speciality to Lookchin. We think he is big enough to have a beer, the bear.

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I wonder when we will see a picture of the bear sitting here with a Caledonian beer? .... We think he is big enough to have a beer, the bear.

I thought it would be a bit risky until after his cruise and American trip, (already doubts have been expressed about the mojito), but he will be back here for a short time afterwards, so maybe, just maybe, a beer for the bear on his last night before he returns to Norway!

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Oh, Cecilia....that's LOW........that's really mean!!!!!!
Get the Captain really where it hurts.....ouch!!!!! ....

Typical, the aunt gets the blame for getting at the Captain – when in fact there was no way I was going to get that bear past that Starbucks. He had it planned from the start! – never even mentioned the S word until after his Big Day aboard Britannia, when he knew I’d be so proud of him that I really wouldn’t be able to say no and spoil the big occasion. Now he goes on all the time about visiting other branches and trying out the many coffee drink varieties for himself.

I wouldn’t be surprised if he isn’t hanging out with his new friends drinking coffee right now, while he expects me to stay in, and sort out and post his photos for him. Oh well, I suppose I’d better get on with it . . .

The day began as if it was just going to be a ship spotting trip to Leith with Sea-Troll, although thinking about it now, they were VERY keen for me to come along too. You just don’t get that excited about “going down to sea-level” – the stated reason for the excursion. I should have guessed something else had been planned.

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There were no cruise ships in Western harbour, but Lookchin and Sea-Troll were pleased to see Well Servicer conveniently moored opposite the picnic table. I even took a photo or two myself for the World's Offshore Vessels thread.
“Take us, take us Auntie C, we want a photo of us two together” shouted Lookchin.
So that was why they wanted me along. Don’t know how the use the delayed action. Or so I thought.

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Lookchin understandably also wanted a photo of himself with the Royal Yacht Britannia in the background, even though the path with the name “Britannia View” doesn’t have that great a view what with cars and notices and netting fences, not to mention that I still haven’t got used to the tea room that has been built on the ship itself. But Lookchin seemed pleased with the photo, and it was then that Sea-troll announced “It’s time we made our way on board, Captain Storli”!

Well, if pakarang had suddenly been transported to Leith I couldn’t have been more surprised! I can assure you that I was TOTALLY unprepared to be shown around the ship by the newly promoted Captain Lookchin Storli –a bear who, at most, I might have assumed just played “I’m a deck hand” pretend games back home in Trondheim.

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“Welcome to my ship, Auntie C!”
Well, I don’t know what the Queen would have to say about that, and I couldn’t help thinking that Lookchin had ever so slightly overestimated the importance of his rank – he was still wearing his favourite sweater and there was no sign of four stripes anywhere on the shoulders – but when Sea-Troll called out “Captain on the bridge” I was the proudest aunt in the whole wide world!

The photo to mark this momentous occasion was taken – already posted above – and here, especially for Lookchin’s CV family, are the customary “bonus” pictures.

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Of course I was hardly surprised to see that Lookchin seemed so familiar with all matters navigational.

He even spent some time in the adjacent chart room while I was there, and seemed annoyed that he couldn’t find the the chart covering a particular fjord. Yes, you did hear that correctly. Not “firth”, as in Firth of Forth but “fjord” as in Trondheimsfjorden. Seems our darling bear has been hoping to relocate Britannia to Solsiden!

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Another speciality of seamanship in which Lookchin takes a particular interest is flags. Continuing the tour of the ship, he sat patiently (!) while I was told to study the information about Signal Flags, on which topic I presume I will be tested later! On Britannia, the flags are, not surprisingly, to be found on the Flag Deck, where they are neatly stored in little cubbyholes. Let’s hope they still look as tidy at the end of Lookchin’s duty shift!

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